Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-15


woman
"What do you wish, sir?" said she.
"Well, madam, the fact is-You see,
am in search of-of-I want little in
formation Gbout-about-"
eyes, sir; about whal?" and Just
shadow of smile began to dimple around
her mouth. The reporter gathered him
self together and blushed g little, just
little, and replied desperately"
"About bustles."
The young woman's smile deepened
into broad grin, as she said:
"What kind do you wear, sir?"
"EXcuse me, madame; I came in to
find out what kind you and the other la-
dies in this big town wore, and how many
different STYLES there were.
"0h, Well there are more styles of
bustles than the are behring's in box,
and new styles are coming in at the rate
Of three or four every week"
By this time beVy Of girls had been
attracted by the conversation, and they
began to gather around like butterflies
around a rose, making remarks in under
tones like this:
One of them cheeky reporters
Wants to know about bus lee. The idea!
DID YOU ever hear of such thing:
Tell him to ask his girl.
After the excitement had died away
ano the girls found that the reporter was
really seeker after knowledge they VOL
unteered a good deal of information.
Among the bustles which were brought
out for his inspection were the folio wing /:
Wind Bustle-Made Of rubber; shaped
ike watermelon, Meant to be infi4ttd
| before using. A small rubber tube leads
int in
} lift wearer upon her toes. When these
are worn life preserYers are unnecessary.
Bernhsrdt Bustle-Long and lean
Made in one piece. r aches to the middle
OF the thigh Constructed mainly of cot
ton cloth. Not worn much now. Cheap.
Langtry Bustle-Very popular. Folds
together, telescope fashions, when Wearer
sits.
Spiral Bustle-Made Of steel wire, ar
ranged in spiral shape. Three inches at
its greatest diameter. Tapers to point
ct each end. The improved spiral hustle
is made of either two or three springs,
one above the other. No nonsense about
these. Indestructible.
Brooklyn bridge hustle, otherwise
known as the tWo-story or suspension
bustle-A combination Of bustles, one
suspended from the other; reaches DOWN
to the knees; at the bottom is spring so
that it will give to the movement of the
knees.
Ole-story bustle-Supports the waist
drapery OF the dress; smaller than Langtry
and much the same sha Je.
Straw bustle-S1aped like the upper
half of a bird cage; can be used as base
ball mask.
Coat-banger bustle-Msde from the
pieces Of copper wire sold by the Bowery
iakirs which are used to keep the shoul-
ders of a gentleman's coat in position;
very cheap and servIceable; popular
among shop gisls who have brothers.
Envelope Bustle-Sold in an envelope.
Three spiral springs shaped like big bo-
logna ssusages and each one covered
with sateen. Tied together at the top.
Very nice, say the girls. Very queer, say
the men.
Health Bustle-Three spiral springs,
one above the other, on crescent shaped
piece of csrdoosrd-it might have been
something else; anyhow, it looked like
cardboard. Warranted to shrink only
when sat upon. Great snap-for the
maker. Fifty to 60 cents.
Elite Bustle-Crescent shaped, made of
steel reeds. A sort OF collappsible cage.
Not common. One dollar.
Princess OF WaIes-Can't hold candle
to the Langtry. Impossible to describe
Not popular. SlxtY-nine cents.
Hair-cloth Bustle-From three-quarters
to yard in length. Semi cylindrical in
shape. Expensive; from So up. Not
worn by Grand street girls.
Washbuard bustle-About ten inches
long and ribbed like q washoosrd Very
good article for the dealer. Uoless us
woman sits down just SO she is M4ble 10
either sever her spinal column cor suesh
the Washboard, necessitstins aBether
visit to the store.
Among the other items of interest
elected were the facts that the bus3e is
one of the most indispensablesaEtieaes OF
womsn's apparel. she couid dispense
with a seSlskin sacque, or an Easter
bonnet, but bustle-neverl Some wo-
men, however, have an aversion for the
hustle proper, and so as q compromise
they have pad inserted in the dress just
sbsf3R the waist. In order to impart that
graceful, fitting swing to dress which
adds so much to the appearance Of a
woman, three reeds are sometimes set
into the dress skirt in the rear. Tney are
arranged about ten inches apart, arrd the
girls say they answer the purpose tor
which they are used to perfection.
The origin OF the hustle is lost in the
dim obscuritY of the past. THERE'S a
story, which needs confirmation, that
Cleopatra wore hustle previous to the
asp episode. But it Is fact which cannot
be gainsaid that the Presidents lovely
wife wears that useful appendage, and
wears it well, too, for one Of the latest
styles has been named after her.
From what the reporter could learn 1t
is thought by the best authorities that the
hustle era supplemented the hoopskirt
era. The first hustle (see Piutarch, page
400 was made by folding two Suns upinto
q convenient size and then tying them
around the waist with piece okNxrred
rope A piece of old cotton conlf0rtableas
or bed-quiIt was substituted for the SUMS
as folksi become more enlightened, a1d
from these small beginnings the present
varied and interesting article hasbeea
evolved.
Bus The hoopskirt has not wholly gone
into disuse. a few women whose ideas